Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Identical boys. One born on November 22nd, the other born on the 23rd. Eight hours apart. Yeah, it was a rough labor. My wife is still recovering and I'm doing as much as I can to take care of everyone.

The first and eldest is named Kanan Ezra Satanis. I wanted it to be Zirnakanan, after a dark elf city in some half-remembered D&D adventure or campaign guide, but that didn't happen. She fell in love with the name Kanan. Oh well, he'll always be Zirnakanan to me.

The second and youngest is named Kylo Phoenix Satanis. Yeah, I'm kind of surprised the wife went for that. I'm also 74% certain that he's going to be the evil one. ;)

They're both healthy and happy (albeit continually fussing/crying when they aren't sucking down booby milk). I can't ask for more than that. Will produce pictures when they're out of that unflattering newborn stage in a few weeks.

These are the last kids I'll have, unless there's an act of god out there brewing. Five is a good number for an adventuring party. We'll have to see how that goes in about a decade from now, maybe less.

Anyways, that means I'm on permanent vacation for awhile (yep, an oxymoron). But I'll still try to post something once a week or so, here and on Draconic Magazine, just to keep the creative fires burning. I expect the RPG projects will reemerge this Spring... hopefully.

I was able to accomplish quite a bit in 3 years. I'm proud of my prolific ways and means.

A few projects were squeezed in before a birth or vacation or self-imposed Kickstarter deadline. These things needed to get out there. So, I wrote my ass off in a blur of psychedelic hues, splattered gore, flashing blade, laser blast, the crunching of bones, obscene gestures to tentacled idols, and whispered ululation for those dark forces of the earth... until those manuscripts were finally conjured before my warlock hands. Obviously, +MonkeyBlood Design (Glynn Seal) worked his magic to make them look fantastic.

Here's a list for those keeping track. Well, that's it. So long and thanks for all the awesomeness!

VS

p.s. No, their birth certificates don't say "Satanis." But there's always a chance my kids will take up that moniker one day, when they're older.

Sunday, November 20, 2016

The collected works from my Trinity of Awesome kickstarter - Slaves of Tsathoggua, Slippery When Wet, and A Green Jewel They Must Possess - in addition to Death Race: Fury Road are now available as a single softcover book!

You can purchase Trinity of Awesome +1 at CreateSpace now or wait a couple days for it to show up on Amazon.

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

I'm sure many people are just as sick of the post-election detox / reflection / autopsy as they were of the election itself. Or perhaps people are craving more discussion in hopes of understanding what happened and all the many things to come.

For the record, I'd like to classify myself as an independent, but since there are really only 2 sides in the US, I find myself on the Democratic side a vast majority of the time. And I voted for Hillary Clinton.

The following it my 3 cents. Here's the TL;DR version: Progress is nothing if not two steps forward, one step back.

Eventually, things will be moving forward again. This is just a temporary and necessary motion backwards. Assuming we don't find ourselves in a nuclear war or something. Remember all those episodes of The Twilight Zone and post-apocalyptic 80s movies? Collectively, I believe America thought that shit was in the past. Yet, there's a small chance that was foreshadowing an event or chain of events that will come to pass in the next 4 years.

I've been reading various blog posts such as +Kasimir Urbanski (RPGpundit) and a few others. This election was partially a direct result of the country sick and tired of all the SJW and whining about masculine toxicity, white privilege, sexism, rape culture, LGBTQRSPV (and however many letters will eventually be added), etc. And when peaceful protests turn into riots, including violence and destruction of property... well, that just makes your side look like the assholes you aren't, so stop it already!

As a straight white male, I feel I can see both sides. I'm all for equality and a progressive agenda, everybody deserves a fair shake, free education and health care. This country shits on minorities, women, homosexuals, and a lot of disenfranchised individuals and groups all the time. It fucking sucks.

On the other hand, this new millennial-driven inclusive agenda is starting to sound a bit repetitive and shout-y, especially when it's backed up by wrong-headed activism (like trying to get Alpha Blue banned from OBS). Everyday Americans have had enough. For them, Trump is nostalgic. He's their OSR, albeit in a twisted, negative, and ridiculous way. It sucks, but I can't blame them for wanting to keep the US recognizable from their perspective.

I don't know. I can't predict the future. However, that won't stop me from prognosticating right here and now...

No one will know how it's all going to turn out. I have a feeling it won't just be liberals and a few "never trump" conservatives who will be disappointed. Trump is the wild card of wild cards, and any Trump voter/supporter who thinks he knows what he's getting is most likely in for a surprise.

A lot of giddy, gloating, sore winner Republicans will out themselves as pieces of vile filth and will either lose their jobs or be forced to endure an unpleasant backlash they weren't expecting. Actually, it's already happening.

I believe this victory will actually propel the United States into a new progressive age. If Republicans get their way with majorities in the executive, judicial, and legislative branches, it will give Americans a true taste of what they ordered - and it will eventually sicken them to the point where Republicanism is about as popular as neo-Nazi and KKK organizations are today.

Ok, I've probably said enough on this topic. If anyone wants to talk politics or whatever, feel free. I try to be open minded while still holding onto my own beliefs, independent of the two major political parties.

VS

p.s. One more thing, for what it's worth, Bernie Sanders might have won (if he'd been the Democratic nominee), but he's too far left for the United States (at this time). So, if he did become our next President, we might have gone two steps forward and three steps back.

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Remember Universal Exploits? That was an Alpha Blue sourcebook and campaign guide I published a few months back.

It's got a ton of random tables and ideas, giving your sci-fi or space opera RPG of choice more than a little edge. But what's the significance with the upcoming election?

I wrote some satirical political stuff, mostly about Donald Trump and included it in UX because he was a big focus in the daily news cycles. They were written before Trump was the official Republican nominee for President of the United States.

Since we're so close to election day, I decided to have a 50% off sale on the Universal Exploits PDF (softcover books on DriveThru and Amazon / CreateSpace have also been discounted, just not as much). The sale will run until the election is over and the result is finalized... which could be well into 2017 considering what we've seen so far!

Even if you're not interested in the "space Trump" humor, I hope the star pulp and vintage sleaze are enough to take your mind off things. ;)

VS

p.s. Even though the Amazon price has been changed, it will probably take several hours for the updated price to show.